Just because Rebecca Black is a fan of Friday doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be, too. Everyone loves a good Friday (even if Friday isn’t your Friday, and you don’t celebrate Good Friday). And in this new tradition of copping out of having to write a real post by opening the floor up to y’all, it’s time for a weekend open thread!
Today’s topic is Google+! Mostly ‘cuz I want you to be my pal on there. It’s boring without interesting people to talk to. You can find me by looking up adventuresinmediocrity@gmail.com. I think. I’m still a little fuzzy on the details. If you need an invitation I’ll give you one. Oh yeah, and here’s a Google Plus-themed picture to replace the usual adorable animal one (adorable animals to return next week):
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| From someecards.com |
ANYway. If you’re stuck for things to talk about, here are some starter questions:
- Are you a social networking junkie? Why/why not? If you are, feel free to expound about the Google+ thing. If not, you’re probably not going to comment anyway, amiright?
- Does your online community differ significantly from your real-world community? (my answer is below!) How? Why do you think that is?
- Why won’t Google+ make it so we can merge accounts? (rhetorical, although feel free to answer if you’re a Google developer)
- Do you ever worry that Google is going to one day grow spindly little arms with spikes on the ends and then implant itself in your brain, controlling your every move and thought, turning you and millions of others into little Google-borg-bots?
- Are some social networks more “safe spaces” (by this I mean prejudice/patriarchy/violent threat-free, or at least as much as possible) than others? Which ones?
I know that my online social network differs a whole lot from the real-world one, mainly because I know for a fact that most of you reader-types are feminists and “get” the feminist-y (and sociologicalish) stuff I write about on here (the rest of it is just drek. I mean really.). In the real world, I may not find out a friend’s thoughts on feminism – or any other ism – until the friendship is well-developed – which is fine. Just different. Both realms serve their purposes quite well – without real world interaction I’d go bonkers. But without an online community of whip-smart people like you, I’d probably think the whole world was out to get me and never leave the house.
Brain currently full of largely uninteresting work related things, disallowing space for functioning on a social level, therefore I cannot currently respond sufficiently to this post.Apart from to say, invite me please!
I think that response was supremely sufficient. Especially cuz you said sufficient and disallowing in the same sentence – superb! Also: invitation sent to your hotmail.
I don't have thoughts about Google+ yet. A few friends are trying it and I'm waiting to see what they think before jumping in. If anyone knows of a social network that is a "safe" place please share it! I've had pretty mixed experiences with Facebook and Twitter (although much of that is due to the types of people you hang around.
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To answer the safe-space question: Livejournal. LJ still has many active communities that are safe spaces for minorities.
So happy you mentioned the word "borg" because that was my first thought when I learned about Google +.
You would not believe how unintuitive it is to add people (like you) for whom I only have an email address! Fortunately, I figured it out. The kids down in Mountain View are starting to get on my last nerve…
Lydia & DZDZ – I think Livejournal's definitely a good bet from what I've heard although I've not tried it myself. I also would recommend cruising by the blog I Blame the Patriarchy – but definitely poke around first to make sure it's for you.Jenyoseph – Inorite? I don't even know how I got on there, it just sort of happened. Which is scary. And now I have three separate accounts – which I thought the whole point of Google Plus was to eliminate the need to manage separate accounts for your separate audiences! Bah. Regardless, my productivity is totally shot forever.Bookartist – I have had trouble with this too! I have a very common name so I don't think searching for me by that is any easier.